By considering the conditions of the promises and seeing that they
have complied with them. The promises are made to faith and
repentance, to love and obedience. Where these are found on a person,
that person may know that _his name is written in heaven_.

Obedience flows from faith and love. "Every good tree bringeth forth
good fruit." The fruits of grace, are the evidences of grace, and the
only evidences on which there is dependence. Should an angel from
heaven testify to a person that his name was written there, the
evidence should be inferior to that which ariseth from the Christian
temper evidenced by fruits of holiness. If these were found, that
would be useless; if wanting, inefficient. "By their fruits ye shall
know them. In this the children of God are manifest." Had a person
such testimony from heaven, he could know that the bearer was from
above, only by attending to his own heart and life.

"Satan can transform himself into an angel of light." Permitted of God
he might have access to our minds and persuade us that _our names were
written in heaven_, while we remained enemies to God and under the
condemning sentence of his law, had we no rule by which to try
ourselves, and judge of our state; but this is not denied us. Yet some
are probably deceived, through infernal influence, and filled with
vain hopes. Mistaking the sophistry of Satan, for the operation of the
divine Spirit, they boast communion with God and call themselves his
children while no portion of the Christian temper is found upon them.
Doubtless some, who have gloried in special divine communications have
been deceived, relative to the nature and source of the operations
which they have experienced. Supposed visions and revelations, are
often no other than illusions of fancy, freaks of imagination, or
effects of diabolical influence, those affected with them often appear